Fishing in the winter

[jawilli...@gmail.com]

I've been living in DC for about 5 years, but I've only been fly fishing since June, and I'm definitely hooked. Really bummed that the warmer season is coming to a close, but was wondering if there are places around here to still fish through the colder months?

[Charlie Church]

Although I don't live in the DC area anymore, I can provide some insight on this as I used to fish 12 months out of the year when I lived up there. 

In November, you can still get Smallies and Stripers and some of the streams in the area  and within 3 hours are fishing very well.

Usually from December - March (the time I assume you are talking about), I would either fish spring creeks in the area or fish warm up days for brookies. It's definitely not the best fishing but I have had days where it got warm enough to get brookies on dry flies in January. We apply the same concept down in VB in the salt on Reds and Trout. It can, if timed well, provide some great fishing.

Hope this helps. It's definitely my least favorite time of the year but definitely not the time to pack it in.  Also for what it's worth, some people do fish 4mr in the winter. I never got into that place but a lot of people on here will recommend it as well.

[Yambag Nelson]

Yeah if you are desperate to get out and don't feel like traveling a couple hours for what will probabaly be mediocre fishing, four mile run is an option as the water stays warm. In addition to the spring creeks ect you can always go up to New York and fish for steelhead. Not my favorite time to fish for them unless there is a warm spel but you can catch fish and conditions are less crowded.

[Deadbait]

There are several opportunities for fly fishing in the winter around DC. Don't let the cooler weather get you down. Firstly, all of Maryland's major trout streams have been stocked. There are fishing opportunities as close as 30 min. outside of DC, and at least 5 stocked trout streams within an hour of DC on the Maryland side including Middle Patuxent, Little Patuxent (go to Savage Mill and walk down to the confluence and fish up and downstream on both rivers), Daniels area on the Patapsco in Ellicott City (about 45 min north of the city), the Gunpowder river (1 hr, 10 min north of the city, well-stocked with rainbow, but a nice population of small wild brown trout that rise to midges all winter long because its a tailwater - its also stunningly gorgeous and empty in the winter). The Potomac smallmouth fishery is year-long and now finally the river levels will steady up and drop as the weather cools concentrating them around warm water outlets (check out the Pepco plant in Dickerson, MD). For smallies I'd use a 6wt and intermediate or sinking line and clousers or even large #8 - 10 nymphs under an indicator.

Though many of the Chesapeake guides are already booked, between now and mid-January there should be an excellent striper bite. You could look for an available weekday and take a buddy to split the costs. The advantage is you'll have a guide to teach you since you're a beginner. And some  of the best striper fishing comes on cool to cold overcast days (as long as there is no wind).

I'm sure other members can speak better to VA side but also take a look at the VA stocking schedule to see if Passage Creek (about 45 min from city) is fishing.

If you have a car, winter is a good time to get out and explore! For example, if you're willing to drive up to 2 hours that would also get you to the lower Pennsylvania spring creeks which fish well all year because they hold a steady temp and attract a lot of fly anglers who you can chat up (Yellow Breeches, Spring Creek, etc.). Check out TCO for those.

So start by getting a couple of good guide books on VA, MD, and central PA and do your homework. Follow the stocking schedules. Make sure you've got trout gear and bass gear, and call the local fly shops like Beaver Creek, TCO, and Great Feathers.

good luck!